Best route to Luton airport

[benjii]

Hi Saints fans.

 

How bad is the M3 northbound at the moment? Got to drive to Luton airport (from Soton) for 10:30 on Wednesday. Any tips?

 

Cheers, Benjii

[trousers]

General rule of thumb with the M3 between Fleet and the M25 is to avoid between 06:30 and 09:30. And that was before they decided to install roadworks for what seems like the last 17 years...

[benjii]

General rule of thumb with the M3 between Fleet and the M25 is to avoid between 06:30 and 09:30. And that was before they decided to install roadworks for what seems like the last 17 years...

 

So go up A33 at Basingstoke?

[SO16_Saint]

Can you go up the night before and stay in a hotel? May be just as cheap as parking as most include it in hotel cost?

[Mr Biscuits]

Tbh it shouldn't be that bad unless some numpty decides to have an accident. OR SIT IN THE MIDDLE F*CKING LANE AT 40 AND FLATLY REFUSE TO MOVE OVER BECAUSE HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE HIGHWAY CODE DESPITE IT BEING COMPLETELY wolfoOBVIOUS HE IS HOLDING UP EVERYONE ELSE.

 

Ahem....

 

It's not really that bad and does tend to flow, just slows around J3 for Bagshot and running up to j2 for the M25. At that time of day you aren't really saving anything by cutting up to the M4 at Basingstoke and you could actually stitch yourself up doing this if the M4 is slow because that can be worse than the m3 currently is.

[benjii]

Tbh it shouldn't be that bad unless some numpty decides to have an accident. OR SIT IN THE MIDDLE F*CKING LANE AT 40 AND FLATLY REFUSE TO MOVE OVER BECAUSE HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE HIGHWAY CODE DESPITE IT BEING COMPLETELY wolfoOBVIOUS HE IS HOLDING UP EVERYONE ELSE.

 

Ahem....

 

It's not really that bad and does tend to flow, just slows around J3 for Bagshot and running up to j2 for the M25. At that time of day you aren't really saving anything by cutting up to the M4 at Basingstoke and you could actually stitch yourself up doing this if the M4 is slow because that can be worse than the m3 currently is.

 

Cool, thanks. If I leave at seven I should be there by ten I guess.

[The9]

We're allowing 3 hours for the drive and parking at the airport, and another 2.5 hours for security etc even though it's Easyjet, just because it's medium range rather than for any other reason, we've used them loads before internationally and pitched up just over an hour or so before and still been sat around for yonks.

 

We're flying later though.

[benjii]

My flight is at 12.20 and I've only got carry on luggage so shouldn't need to be at the airport especially early.

 

Got my shekels today. I like the 100s. Nice notes.

[John Boy Saint]

Basingstoke to M1 is average an hour tops even with the roadworks, and folks dicking around on both the M3 & 25 (I go to the next junction up the M1 from the airport on a regular basis) M25 to Luton Airport is 20 mins. Not sure what M3 from Southampton to Blazingsmoke is like of a morning. Time you have to be there traffic should be easing off.

I would check AA Roadwatch just to inspect your route for serious hold ups.

If you open the curtains and its raining don't dilly dally, I would get on with your departure as the road fills up with faffers!

[benjii]

Cheers chaps. Doesn't sound too bad then.

 

I just remember the last time I drove into London the M3 seemed to have a 50mile zone that went on forever and it was painfully slow!

[The9]

FWIW we left at 7am and despite rumours of serious traffic in the vicinity resulting in a warning email to leave an hour early from EasyJet, we were at Luton Airport just after 9am. Typical, we then had 3 hours spare.

[benjii]

FWIW we left at 7am and despite rumours of serious traffic in the vicinity resulting in a warning email to leave an hour early from EasyJet, we were at Luton Airport just after 9am. Typical, we then had 3 hours spare.

 

Yes, that's basically what happened to me too. Funnily enough, coming the opposite way on Sunday evening took much longer - odd!